Army of One
by ArchAngelleofJustice
Summary: Mata Nui is dead. The Matoran have escaped from the wreckage of Metru Nui. In a harsh desert world, they struggle to find enough food and water to survive, while the Toa defend them from enemies both strange and familiar. Can Bara Magna sustain both the Agori and the Matoran - or will one group perish? A sequel to Fight for Freedom. [Minor Hewkii/Macku]
1. Prologue

_**Author's Note**_

_It's taken me six months from when I began writing this to post the first chapter. Admittedly, I have gotten distracted by other projects in the meantime, but that's way too long, even for me. I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I've enjoyed writing it._

_Huge thanks to my wonderful betas, Lleu and QuoteMyFoot._

_As always, if you notice any errors, please let me know so I can correct them._

* * *

**Prologue**

Ahkmou felt the Great Spirit die for the second time. His chest tightened as though a rock had gotten caught in it, as a sense of despair threatened to overwhelm him. The suns went dark, the stars blinked out, and even lightstones in buildings faded away. Only the glow from telescreens on distant buildings cut through the blackness, their illuminated message promoting Matoran compliance with the Vahki. From his vantage point atop the tower of the Coliseum, he had been able to watch as an army of Toa entered his city and laid waste to his forces. Ahkmou clenched his fist, thinking quickly to determine how he could make the best of this situation.

The balcony he stood on suddenly buckled and shook, and Ahkmou was lifted off his feet and thrown to the stone floor. Distant glass shattered and the remaining light went out, and he could barely see past his own mask. He grunted, pushing himself back up, dreading to think what might happen if one of the Toa stumbled across him in the darkness. Although he was a Toa himself, Ahkmou was no fighter, and he didn't doubt that any of his enemies would be all too eager to make him pay for his allegiance with Makuta.

While the Great Spirit was certainly defeated, Ahkmou couldn't be sure that Makuta had been vanquished for good. After all, he seemed to have a contingency plan for everything - but with the Toa Nuva involved, Gavla frozen, and the Vahki stopped by Matoran and Toa alike, it seemed unlikely Makuta would be in a position to protect his followers in the near future. Ahkmou would have to work quickly to have a chance to hold onto his comfortable position as a ruler, and that meant gathering all the forces he could.

He fumbled in the darkness, feeling his way to the entrance to his throne room. He was relieved that he had decided to light it with glowfish as the Ga-Koronans had done. Although some of the glass cases trapping them had shattered, most were still intact. He pried one of them from the wall and conjured a rod of stone to hold it. The makeshift torch reminded him of Vakama's firestaff, and the thought of the similarities to the dead Turaga's badge of authority gave him a thrill.

His new torch allowed him to see ahead as he crept down the long staircases of the Coliseum. Distant battle cries echoed through the corridors as he approached the exit, and he was struck by the smell of salt and iron mixing together from the silver seas below. As he walked under the enormous archway, he was met by the sight of a twisted pillar of ice that kept Gavla trapped inside.

The Toa Nuva had been too much for her - unsurprisingly, really. She was far too reckless for her own good. Still, Ahkmou needed followers, and Gavla was the most loyal he'd found. He willed a boulder to grow beneath her prison until the foundations cracked and the sculpture toppled over, smashing against the metal platform that held up the Coliseum.

Ice crunched against Gavla's form and she cried out in a mixture of pain and fury. She shivered, weakened by the cold, but Ahkmou pulled her up to her feet. She looked shaky, but she would recover.

"Looks like the Toa got the better of you," Ahkmou announced, not bothering with pleasantries.

Gavla's hand shook. "No thanks to you. I almost took out three Toa Nuva single-handedly. If you decided to lend a hand we'd be welcoming them into the ranks of the Shadow Toa."

Another ruler might have punished his subordinate for talking back, but Ahkmou didn't particularly care for such measures. "We're heading south. The Brotherhood of Makuta is gone, but I know how to find their fortress."

"Why? To freeze to death? We need to escape the Universe, not worry about empty fortresses!"

Ahkmou smiled. "That's where you are wrong, my dear. Destral has plenty of resources left…"

* * *

The gaping maw of the temple in front of her somehow filled her with a sense of foreboding. At the same time, Takua couldn't push away her desire to discover the secrets within. She thought she knew of every temple in the Fire Region, but this was not the Temple of the Fire Creature, and the Shrine of Fire was located on the far side of a volcano.

Which meant that it must be so ancient to be forgotten. She wondered if even Narmoto, the Protector of the Fire Region, knew of this place.

The call of discovery was too great for her to resist, and she boldly stepped inside. The walls of the room she found herself in were in an even worse state of disrepair, and the inscriptions on them were too worn and crumbled to possibly begin to decipher their meaning. The warm glow of a river of lava divided the temple in two. On the other side, a stone pillar held a golden mask, its edges smooth and angular, not dissimilar from her own. Tall walls surrounded the distant islet in a semi-circle, and she couldn't see any indication of a hall or archway leading deeper into the temple.

A flat metal panel sat by the lava flow. Takua didn't know what it was for, but it was covered in ornate details and neatly polished. Wondering if this was evidence that she was not the only one who had discovered this temple, she brushed a hand over the flames engraved on its side. It was strangely cool to the touch, even though an impression in the dust indicated it had been sitting beside the molten rock for some time. Ever ready for an experiment, Takua dipped the board into the lava for a moment. When she pulled it out, it wasn't damaged at all, and not at all too hot to touch.

She looked over to the far side of the lava river. Some of the inscriptions on the walls looked like they were in better condition, but she couldn't see any way to get there. Perhaps if she asked Narmoto, he would recognize her description of the shrine or the mask.

The sound of scuttling feet startled her, and she was almost too afraid to turn to face what she already knew was approaching. A sickly green creature, no larger than her face, hissed as it approached. A skull spider.

She regretted not telling Narmoto where she was going.

The creature hurled itself at her face. Even though there were five body-lengths between the spider and herself, the spider crossed the distance in moments. She whipped up the metal board to shield herself. The creature fell to the ground and quickly crawled back to its feet. Takua thought about fleeing, but she knew she wouldn't be able to outrun a skull spider for long. Instead, she turned and sprinted to the lava. There was only one way she knew to escape. Throwing the board onto the molten river, she felt a second of doubt before she grabbed a broad stone and jumped on top.

The board bobbed for a second but supported her weight. She paddled furiously across the river with her newfound stone, wondering if this was what the device was intended to be used for. Behind her, the guttural cries of the skull spider urged her on and she knelt down further as if to put just a tiny bit more distance between her and it. The other side was almost in reach and Takua redoubled her efforts, clutching her stone as tightly as she could until she was finally able to touch firm ground. She pulled herself to shore and glanced back.

The beast paced back and forth, waiting for her inevitable return. Skull spiders were notoriously determined, and she suspected she would grow weary from hunger before it did.

The stone pillar stood before her, bearing its golden mask just above her head. If it were a mask of power, it might just hold the key for her escape. She reached out to touch it, not entirely certain that what she was doing wasn't blasphemy against some ancient Toa. But no, that didn't make sense. There was no such thing as a Toa, and the inspiring legends of elemental warriors she had heard a hundred times over were nothing more than tales to allay the fears of young villagers.

She reached out to grab the mask. As her finger brushed its side, she saw the shadow move. It snaked its way over to her, slowly becoming darker until it wasn't a shadow anymore, but a physical tendril that seemed to absorb all light around it. Instinctively she scrambled away, but it wrapped around her leg. Takua tried desperately to grab the mask, her only possible salvation from this entity. But the shadow tore her away and coiled around her face. Its freezing touch engulfed her, and her scream rattled the walls. Something ripped off her mask and her vision began to go black.

The last thing she heard was a manic chuckle.

She awoke with a gasp, jolted forward, and hit her head. Through deep, panicked breaths, she tried to make sense of her surroundings. Walls enclosed her on every side, forming a tiny metal closet just large enough to contain her, almost like a coffin - but with a glass pane in front of her face. Cold fury and terror took over as she banged her fist against the glass. The door responded by hissing and pulling away from her, swinging out to one side. Hurriedly, she stepped out into an enormous room lined with dozens of similar chambers to her own, and beings in dark armor stepped out of most of them. To her right, two more of the creatures - one sapphire, one bronze - eyed her carefully.

She felt taller than she remembered being. Her arms were longer and felt powerful, and her armor had taken on an oily hue. No matter who she looked at, she felt a pressing desire to give them a demonstrative education in various methods of bodily harm.

Though unfamiliar to her, those urges felt good, and she longed to give into them.

"Hello," the bronze being said with a hint of greedy cheer. "And welcome to my Shadow Army."

* * *

**Author's Note**

The 'Shadow Takanuva's' were a minor subplot that first appeared in Destiny War, and weaved through some of the late 2008 story serials. Unfortunately, that plot thread never really went anywhere and Greg spent more time setting up the Shadow Takanuva's than actually doing anything interesting with them. I'm hoping to rectify that.

'Takua', as she's known in this chapter, is obviously ripped from the G2 ("2015 reboot") universe. As G2 never really had a Takua or Takanuva character, I thought I'd rectify that and explain her absence. Okoto also presents a nice little world with just enough depth for me to root some sense of familiarity.


	2. Bye Bye Babylon

**Bye Bye Babylon**

Gali had risen early with the morning dew. Her eyes felt dull and heavy, her limbs ached from yesterday's long battles and the evacuation effort, and yet, somehow, she couldn't stay asleep. There was just so much to do.

The sun was only just peeking over the head of the fallen Great Spirit.

She was still coming to terms with the discovery that the Great Spirit was, in fact, a being so enormous that it had housed the entire Matoran Universe. The giant now lay on its side in the dunes, its massive head sheltering the camp from the bulk of the rising sun. It was so large that it was difficult to make out the details of its face from here, and its body stretched on for so long that it seemed to melt into the horizon.

Only yesterday, the Toa Nuva had defeated their greatest foe. Makuta's essence had been engulfed in a blast of light, and Gali was certain that there was no way he would be able to return. Yet she still felt a sense of dread. Makuta had been destroyed, but Mata Nui had not returned. The Great Spirit had died, and with it, their universe. They had been forced to abandon their home. Fortunately, in their search for an evacuation point, Pohatu and Kopaka had found this vast desert world that spread farther than they could have ever imagined.

Without the Makuta attacking at every venture, they should finally be able to live in peace - as long as they could find a way to survive this harsh world. But still, Gali felt a splash of concern welling within her. Was this barren world indicative of what life would be like without the Great Spirit to provide his blessings? Could life truly continue without him?

"You rose early."

Gali blinked. One of the Matoran from Tahu's tribe had appeared next to her, but she hadn't heard him approach. "I couldn't sleep," she sighed. "Today, we must continue our evacuation of the Great Spirit, find water sufficient for everyone, and search for other resources as well. I will be needed for all, and yet doing so will require me to be in three different places at once."

"You are not the only Toa of Water here." The crimson Matoran looked her in the eyes. "You cannot shoulder our burdens alone."

"And yet, I am the most powerful of all Water Toa, so much will be asked of me." The second sun began looming over the body of the Great Spirit, ready to warm up the desert plains with its terrible wrath. Gali could already feel the few droplets of moisture preparing to fade away and become one with the atmosphere. "Without me, I do not know if you would survive this harsh world."

"We Matoran are more capable than you think. The Ta-Koronans learned quickly to find water in hot places."

Gali looked over to the distant jungle - just one of many locations they would have to explore today. And of course, it would be the Toa Nuva, with their adaptive armor and legendary powers, who would make the journey. Her companion was right - she could not shoulder every burden alone. Hahli would be able to help with the evacuation and Gaaki would provide water to the thirsty. "What is your name?" she asked, wanting to properly thank the Matoran for his wisdom.

No answer came, and when she turned to face him he had already disappeared.

_He's a quiet one, _she thought, climbing up. It was time to gather the rest of her team.

* * *

Lewa soared over the makeshift village. It felt good to be able to return to his old morning routines after having been stuck underground for weeks, to be able to stretch his joints and feel the wind. The air was cool against his armor, but he expected the temperatures would quickly rise as the day went on.

Looking over the camp, he saw a handful of Matoran carefully preparing stones for a fire. A second group helped grind flax seeds brought from Metru Nui, or eating what dried fruit they had managed to bring with them. The camp was surrounded by the most sparse fields of sand he had ever seen, stretching on and on far towards the horizon. His heartlight ached for his lost jungle home and the abundance of fresh food that it provided. _Perhaps I should have sneak-took an extra bamaia fruit,_ he thought.

It was easy to spot Gali and Pohatu towering over the Matoran, and it looked like they had already found Tahu outside his hut. Lewa lingered for a moment before he decided that he had better dive in to meet them. They were probably discussing something important, and it wouldn't do for him to be left out.

"What's our plan for today?" Gali asked as Lewa landed beside her. "I suggest we help evacuate Matoran and Rahi further down the Great Spirit."

Tahu shook his head. "We need to focus on the exploration of this world. Our speed and ability to adapt to the climate will give us an advantage."

Gali looked frustrated at having her suggestion shut down, but she managed to remain silent.

"So, what are we far-seeking?" asked Lewa. "A sand-pile in the desert? Oh, but there'll be rocks too. Pohatu, can Po-Matoran eat rocks?"

"Rocks are for carving, not for eating," Pohatu sharply replied. "We aren't Stone Rats."

"Hmm, but you're about as head-smart as a rat, so you've probably tried it."

"We'll need water and food very shortly," Gali cut in. "I can help with one of those, but nothing grows for miles here. We'll run into trouble very quickly if we can't find a way to manage that. And we need to find water as well - I can create enough for the Matoran here, but if we welcome more into our camp I won't be able to keep up."

"Tell me when you find a good water-flow, sister," said Lewa. "I've had my share of sea-quests."

"The jungle out west looks promising," said Pohatu as he turned to Gali. "You should head out there - there must be a water source nearby."

The promise of a jungle piqued Lewa's interest. While the thought of a potential dip would have put him off, it felt like it had been an age since he had smelt the sweet taste of the jungle air. "I'll join you! You will need someone to watch your back, of course. And no-one is as familiar with the deep-wood as I!"

"No Lewa," said Tahu. "You and Kopaka will come with me. We're going to head east along the side of the Great Spirit, keep an eye on other settlements, and see if anyone has heard of other beings living in the desert. I doubt we are alone here."

"Why me?" asked Lewa.

"Your Mask of Levitation will be useful if anyone is having trouble escaping the Great Spirit."

Lewa sighed, knowing that Tahu had made up his mind. Perhaps there would be time to explore the jungle later - it seemed a natural place for his people to settle, and it seemed likely that other Matoran might join them as well.

Onua appeared from behind one of the huts. "You're all up early. I thought you would all be sleeping after the battle last night. Did you have something in mind for me, Tahu? The thought struck me that we could help find supplies in Metru Nui, and if we can it would be good if we can build a network of shelters underground."

Lewa chuckled. "Sounds like Onua is ever-eager to set up a new Onu-Koro! But brother, we have more important things to worry about first - like finding the best wind-bursts for Le-Koro!"

Onua managed to refrain from laughing, but Lewa's jesting brought a smile to even his eyes. "The heat in the desert will get oppressively hot, and we've all suffered through a freezing night. Underground homes will remain cool in the daylight and warm at night, and will be the best way for everybody to be comfortable. I worry that we will have Ko-Matoran suffering from heatstroke if they try to tough a single day above ground."

Tahu thought that over for a moment. "I was planning on sending you with Gali, but that sounds more important. Pohatu, you can join Onua - see if you can build a defensible structure for our new home. We don't know what dangers we might face on this world."

"So will I be braving the jungle alone?" asked Gali. "It would be unwise to be divided like this in a new environment."

"Takanuva can go with you," Tahu said. "You'll need to wake him up. Lewa, find Kopaka and take him with you. And Pohatu, advise the Turaga of what our plans for today are - it's best they know our whereabouts."

* * *

Macku crawled out of the docked airship just in time to see the Jetrax rocket past. The fallen Great Spirit dominated her field of view, suddenly reminding her of the loss of not just her home, but of Mata Nui too. She was not sure she would ever get used to the idea that he was now just a static landform.

She walked between hastily built hovels and airships that made up the makeshift 'town', keeping an eye out for Hewkii. Macku had secretly hoped to be able to spend the night with Hewkii, who had _finally_ returned with the other Toa - but after a too-brief reunion, she had been pulled away to help debrief the other Resistance members. By the time her debriefing had finished, darkness had engulfed the camp and most of its inhabitants were fast asleep. Reluctantly, and with sleep calling her as well, she had decided to avoid waking up the former inhabitants of Metru Nui and huddled up in the airship with the rest of the Resistance members.

She couldn't find Hewkii in the center of the camp, although dozens of Matoran were milling around, discussing the best layout to build proper shelters. Others emptied out airships, preparing to make a return journey to Metru Nui for supplies. As Macku looked from mask to mask, she realized just how much her world had changed. Her entire life had been spent at war with the Makuta's beasts, but it wasn't until the war finally ended that she found out the true depths of his treachery. She supposed she should mourn the brothers and sisters whom Makuta had killed before she arrived at the Island of Mata Nui, but she had no memory of that life, and it meant little to her. Ancient history from before her time. As far as she was concerned she was only a thousand years old, born the day Vakama and Nokama had opened the pod that had carried her to Mata Nui. Whatever life she'd lived before that may as well have belonged to someone else.

She should have been sad, frightened, and angry that her home was gone, but those feelings were drowned out by the sweet taste of relief. It was selfish, but Hewkii was finally back with her where she could keep an eye on him. She knew he was close. Safe.

It didn't take long for her to find him. Hewkii towered over the Matoran, and the tip of his ax-blade mask stood out even among Toa. He was deep in conversation with Pohatu and hadn't noticed her approaching. The Kanohi Garai that Hewkii wore was still strange to her eyes, but sleek in its own way. At least he hadn't found himself wearing the skeletal-looking Volitak, like Nuparu.

"Hewkii!" she shouted, grabbing his attention.

He looked her way, his eyes lighting up as she approached. "Good morning, Macku."

Macku looked at the two Toa, getting the sinking feeling that Pohatu was about to whisk Hewkii away on another Toa mission. "Do you have time to spend with 'the little people' today, or will you busy flying off with the other Toa?" she asked, allowing a hint of bitterness to creep into her voice.

Hewkii's eyes furrowed with concern. "I haven't been called away yet. Pohatu's asked me to help him build defenses for our new home." He paused for a moment. "I suppose even he can't handle building a little wall without help."

"If you don't want to help me, you can help Onua build homes underground." Pohatu shrugged. "I thought you'd prefer a little sunshine."

Hewkii mock-shuddered. "I've seen enough underground caves to last me another thousand years."

Macku felt a wave of relief wash over her as she realized that Hewkii would remain close by. For a moment, she thought she might wrap her arms around him and never let him go, but Pohatu was still watching. Instead, she tried to ask a casual question. "So, can I help at all?"

Hewkii made a show of thinking to himself. "You know, I am rather thirsty. Could you fetch me some water?" He seemed disappointed when she didn't laugh. "I'm joking."

"If you two want some time together, I won't complain," said Pohatu. "Macku, maybe you can help Hewkii keep his walls straight."

Her heartlight began to race, but Macku wasn't sure if it was in embarrassment or excitement. "Come on Hewkii, show me how you turn a camp into a town!"

* * *

Tahu held onto the left side of the Axalara, while Kopaka grabbed onto the right. The Axalara was the slowest of the three Karda Nui vehicles, but it still boasted some of the most incredible speeds that Tahu had ever experienced. With Lewa at the controls, it wasn't likely that anyone would even notice it had the weakest engine of its sisters.

In what seemed like no time at all, they were flying by an enormous ridge that made up the Great Spirit's chest. Tahu noted with concern that no-one seemed to be evacuating from this part of the Great Spirit. They had managed to evacuate Metru Nui in less than a day, but the desert around here should have been crawling with beings from the Northern Continent and surrounding islands. But they saw no Vortixx, no Steltians, no Skakdi - and no Matoran.

He decided would need to organize another team to help transport the inhabitants of the Northern Continent to their new desert home when he returned to his camp. He should have been filled with worry, but it was just one more crisis on a never-ending list. No migrating Matoran, no food, no water, no Mata Nui...

Minutes later, the mountainous panels of the Great Spirit's chest ended and gave way to its ridged belly. While it was narrower than the chest, Tahu still felt as tiny as an insect as they flew by. For all of his great power, he had failed to protect the Great Spirit. He had failed to fulfill his destiny, and worse, he had failed to protect the Matoran. He tightened his grip on the Axalara's forward fin. It was his responsibility to resolve those failures now more than ever. He had to provide safety for every being that had been displaced by the death of Makuta.

"Head south," came Kopaka's collected voice, distracting Tahu from his thoughts.

Lewa banked the vehicle so smoothly that if one had their eyes closed, they might not even realize he was turning. "Why?" he asked. "Did you far-see a sand dune you particularly like?"

"Looks like a small group in trouble," Kopaka replied. "Maybe Toa."

Tahu felt his field of view closing as if he had begun peering through a telescope. He realized that Kopaka had shared the power of the Mask of Vision with him. The world seemed to move too fast for him to track anything, and it took a moment for him to adjust to the way a minute movement of his head would make him look at a completely different dune. After a moment, he managed to spot what Kopaka was trying to show him; a half-dozen beings roughly the same size as himself, spread out with weapons drawn.

As they got closer, Tahu realized that while they looked similar to a Toa, they were something else. Their strange masks covered their entire heads, except, paradoxically, their faces.

"Natives to this world?" asked Tahu.

"They might be," answered Kopaka. "Looks like a Rahi of some kind is attacking them - look to the left."

Tahu turned his head, but moved too far. Something flashed across his eyes, but all he wound up looking at was a sand dune littered with too many stones. He had to waste seconds scanning the horizon until he found it. An enormous four-legged beast, its orange, organic scales covering the entire length of its body. The six warriors moved to surround it, one hurling pitiful fireballs from his sword.

The beast opened its long jaws, seemingly unphased by the flames the warrior produced. Other warriors fired launchers in an attempt to drive it back, but if the creature noticed them, it didn't react.

They'd be on the beast in seconds, and Lewa dipped the craft to circle it. "Get ready to attack! I'll quick-fire my stingers next pass!"

Kopaka held out his spear in one hand, aiming it at the colossal creature. A sheet of ice formed around its feet, trapping its legs. As they zipped passed, it looked like they might have already defeated the beast.

But the monster opened its colossal jaws, baring a thousand sharp teeth, spurting waves of fire from its mouth upon the ice trapping its legs. It paused for a moment before taking another giant step forward, causing one of the warriors to dive head-first into the sand just in time to avoid being crushed.

"Can't we ever get an easy fight?" complained Lewa as he began banking the vehicle around, pointing its nose at the monster.

Tahu considered his options. "Lewa, remember the Rahkshi at the Kini Nui?"

Lewa chuckled softly. "Stingers are canceled, Tahu wants to practice glassblowing!" He gently brought the craft level, took one hand off the control bar, and thrust it forward. A swirling windstorm kicked up a stream of sand around the dragon.

Tahu channeled his power through his greatsword, feeling the heat spread through his arm before it erupted into an enormous flame that spread across the swirling sand. In moments, the creature was encased in a cage of glass, its snarling muzzle poking out of its seal. For the time being, the natives were safe.

"Well, that made things simpler," said Kopaka. "You two should try that more often."

Moments later, Lewa brought the Axalara down, its support struts sinking into the sand.

"Greetings!" said Tahu as he hit the ground in front of the strange beings. "I am Tahu, Toa Nuva of Fire."

Two of the native warriors murmured among themselves at the mention of a Toa. Tahu inwardly cringed at the way their too-wide mouths swung open as they speak, but tried to mask his disgust. A third warrior - the one who had commanded flame against the dragon - stepped forward and said something in speech Tahu couldn't understand. The warrior of flame held a hand out, his palm exposed.

Tahu mimicked the warrior's gesture, and the warrior grabbed his hand. He seemed pleased, but the murmurings of the other strangers continued.

Tahu pointed to his chest. "Tahu," he said. Pointing to his teammates, he introduced 'Lewa' and 'Kopaka,' hoping he would be understood.

The warrior pointed to himself in turn. "Ackar," he said. One by one, the others stepped forward and introduced themselves in turn. Tahu nodded politely to each but struggled to commit each strange new name to memory. Finally, Ackar pointed to his weapon. "Mata Nui."

Tahu was sure he heard that wrong. How could it be that this Ackar knew the Great Spirit's name? No, the warrior must have happened to give his sword a similar sounding name, and a mixture of longing for familiarity, trying to discern meaning from a strange language, and years of believing that he was destined to revive the Great Spirit was playing tricks on his hearing.

Ackar pointed to the fallen giant. "Mata Nui," he repeated.

* * *

The jungle had looked promising from a distance, but up close it looked enormous. It seemed to spread on forever, and two towering trees loomed in the distance. Takanuva had parked the Jetrax just within the perimeter of the flora. If any intelligent life called this world home, it made sense that they would set up here; and if the Toa hoped to forge an alliance it would be best not to introduce their presence by screaming through their territory on a high-powered aircraft. Besides, by walking they could take stock of the different kinds of vegetation.

Huge vines snaked between the tops of trees and combined with the thick branches and leaves they provided a thick canopy that shielded the ground from the rays of the burning suns. The air was thick but pleasantly cool - Takanuva suspected that it would quickly become unpleasant as the day drew on. Grass and shrubs seemed to be overtaking an old dirt trail, Takanuva couldn't be sure if it was made by intelligent settlers or if it was once a migratory path for Rahi. Surprisingly, they had only heard the occasional pattering of tiny footsteps and rustling of leaves; the jungle seemed strangely silent and empty of animal life.

Regardless, the tall trees and uncontrolled underbrush reminded Takanuva of his many visits to the now-destroyed village of Le-Koro. Every place he had ever been tempted to call home was either gone or about to freeze over. He didn't belong anywhere, not even to a Toa team. The Toa Nuva and Toa Mahri went on more missions without him than with him, and both had abilities that he couldn't keep up with. He couldn't fly, he couldn't breathe underwater, he was only good for providing a little backup whenever a more powerful Toa wasn't available. He had always been a wanderer, never really fitting in with anyone. It didn't matter. He chose to remain upbeat; it was no good dwelling on thoughts of what might have been.

Gali held her hands out as if she was reaching out to the water around her, guiding them towards the thickest part of the jungle. A splash of orange caught Takanuva's attention, and he paused to inspect the bright fruit that was growing on a tree. It was the most promising source of food they'd seen so far. He plucked one of the fruits from a branch, the furry skin tickling his hand. "Gali, look at this!"

Takanuva began to suck the energy from the fruit through his hand, just to get a taste. It was sharp and bitter, and he shouted in surprise.

"You didn't eat it, did you?" Gali's voice sounded concerned. "We don't know anything about the vegetation here. It could be poisonous."

"It doesn't look poisonous," Takanuva protested. "Besides, I ate strange fruits all the time on Mata Nui and only got sick twice."

"This is a strange land," Gali replied. "Just because things might look familiar, doesn't mean they are."

Takanuva felt abashed, but he tried not to let it show and focused on looking Gali in the eyes. "Well, someone had to try it to find out. Other than the nasty taste, I feel fine."

"I hope the others are having better luck finding food. This jungle might provide enough for the citizens from Metru Nui, but there is no way that it can support the other settlements as well." Gali turned toward the thickest grove of the jungle. "We should head toward those two larger trees in the distance - I can feel a river running there."

They took a few steps towards the thickest part of the growth before something struck Takanuva. His chest felt cold, and a feeling of emptiness took hold over him as he was knocked off his feet. He landed on the ground, stones, and twigs scraping against his armor. Takanuva coughed as he grabbed onto a root, pushing himself to his feet. Gali was already creating an enormous wave to flood the thicket the blast came from.

Gali glanced back at him, and Takanuva flashed a hand signal to say he was okay. She nodded, and then sprinted into the foliage to the right. Takanuva ran to the left, vaulting over a fallen tree trunk. He ran as hard as his legs would let him until he came to a slope and slid partway down for cover, drawing his Power Lance from his back.

Seconds passed without any sign of a follow-up attack. He heard something scratching against dirt in the distance, but it was probably just a critter of some sort.

Takanuva doubled back and ducked behind a tree, hoping to throw off their foe. He took a deep breath to help calm himself, remembering a technique that Solek had taught him in Metru Nui. Takanuva shifted the light around him, turning his armor a deep shade of green. Whoever his attacker was should be expecting to see bright whites and golds that stood out against the foliage, and this new color would hopefully give him the chance to sneak up on his opponent.

The sound of a torrent of water splashing against something told him that Gali was engaging their attacker. Treading lightly so as to not be heard, he crept toward the source of the sound, carefully circling further left.

He caught a flash of azure and crouched behind a log. Peering out, he saw Gali gracefully swing her right foot around to avoid a shadow blast, completing the circle and blasting a stream of water from her trident.

Takanuva gripped his lance, pointing it toward the trees that Gali's attack had splashed against. He still couldn't see their foe, but two orbs of darkness streaked toward Gali from one of the branches. Takanuva sent a beam of intense light toward the tree, searing through the branch and igniting some of its leaves. A sharp scream rang in his ears as the branch fell to the ground.

He ran towards the flames. A Toa with oily armor came into view, her features strange yet familiar at the same time. As she pushed herself from the floor, she looked up to glare at him with piercing green eyes. Takanuva's lungs felt like they were being squeezed when he looked at her mask. It was pitted and black, but undeniably bore the shape of the Mask of Light.


	3. Shadow Play

**Shadow Play**

Takanuva stared at his opponent, taking in her features, that mask he knew so well. "Who are you?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm you," she taunted, pulling herself to her feet. "I was stolen from my own universe and brought here. When I woke up, I was… like this." She gestured menacingly and the shadows she controlled enveloped her until she disappeared into the darkness.

Takanuva glanced high and low, trying to pinpoint where she had disappeared to. He had no idea what he would do even if he did locate her. He wouldn't be able to bring himself to destroy an innocent Toa turned to shadow against her will, let alone a copy of himself, and the Matoran had no way of building a prison that could hold a Toa on this desolate world. In Karda Nui, he had been lucky enough to discover flying Rahi with a scream that could return Shadow Matoran to light, but he doubted he would find something similar on this planet.

Far in the distance, he could hear the sounds of water splashing throughout the forest followed by the clangs of metal striking metal, indicating that Gali was still engaged with her own opponent. He shook his head, refusing to allow himself to become distracted - his opponent was here, lurking somewhere close. He could _feel _her.

"Are you wondering why I'm here?" Her voice came from somewhere behind him. "You'll find that I'm not the only one. Gavla and Ahkmou helped many of us escape our prison on Destral. And there's just one thing that we all want."

Shadows threatened to swarm Takanuva, but he radiated light from his body, ensuring the swirling darkness wouldn't be able to touch him. He considered her motivations. "Me?"

The shadows seemed to stir in agitation at his answer.

"To bathe in the despair we bring to creatures of light. Are you really so vain to think we'd want yet another copy?"

Takanuva dived out of the way as a blast of shadow sailed past, allowing it to strike against the bark of a tree. He used the opportunity to fire back at the corner of the blast but only succeeded in setting a bush ablaze.

"We're evenly matched," came her voice. "Are you ready to see which one of us comes out on top? What will be the deciding factor? Skill? Power?" A snicker echoed throughout the grove. "Or just plain luck?"

Footsteps alerted him to her charge, and he turned just in time to parry her thrusts away. Their blades struck against each other, her attacks fast and ferocious, his counters tight and restrained. Light engulfed the forest and darkness swallowed it back up.

Takanuva retreated from a volley of shadow blasts and began to circle his opponent. She followed his steps as they each searched for an opening. A chorus of dry leaves crunching under feet, water splashing, and weapons clattering rang from nearby.

"I'll win because I have something you don't," he answered.

An enormous wave crashed into the Shadow Toa, sending her sprawling in the dirt. Takanuva let his lance fall and rushed to grab her, throwing her to the ground and dropping to pin her against the mud.

He caught sight of a flash of Gali's blue armor, but just as quickly she disappeared back into the brush, chased by another dark-colored attacker.

His opponent scrambled to get her hands free, managing to twist one arm out. She moved to circle her elbow around his arm. He pulled it back, grabbed her wrist and pushed it back down. He thought about firing a beam of light into her chest, killing her instantly - but he couldn't bring himself to do it. She was a victim like he had once been, transformed against her will.

One of her pinned hands began to absorb the light around it as she summoned the power of shadow. His hand felt like it had been dipped in freezing water, but he ignored the pain and pushed down with all the strength he could summon, suddenly thankful for a month of rigorous strength exercises. Even so, he couldn't hold out forever, and he felt her trying to extinguish his inner light. His heartlight chilled and his joints seized up, and each breath became difficult and labored.

"What are you going to do? Kill me?" she taunted as if she had read his thoughts.

"I've got a better idea." He wasn't sure if it would work, but he didn't have any better options. He lowered his mask against hers, focusing its power.

The Mask of Light had few abilities worth noting, but he had once been able to use the mask to calm a raging Fikou Nui - perhaps he could try it again. Takanuva pushed the power of light through his mask. His double struggled against him, shoving her hips up in an attempt to force him off her. Takanuva pressed his weight down, refusing to allow himself to be thrown off. He grabbed her behind the back of the head, pulling their masks together. She kept bucking, but he refused to let go.

He could see his mask shining, but what was more, he felt as though his power had opened up her mind to his. He dug deep inside her, looking for the barrier blocking her inner light. Her mind was like a labyrinth, with each wrong turn becoming a flash of anger or a vortex of loneliness. Finally, he found it - a smoky wall in her centremost point. He pushed the power of light into her, tearing the wall apart.

She finally threw him off her, and his back scraped across the dirt as she rammed her knee into his ribs. She moved to press her chest to his to keep him pinned, stopping halfway. Takanuva slid out from under her, scooting back as he rose to his feet.

She created a sphere of shadow in her hand, hesitating. Falling to her knees, she gasped for air as if she had been suffocating.

"You," she croaked. "What did you do?"

Takanuva pointed to his mask. "It's not just a shiny decoration. I wasn't sure if it was possible, but I had to try."

Her eyes widened. "What did I do to you? Did I hurt you?"

"It's only a couple of scratches." Picking up his lance, he heard branches crunch and snap somewhere past a pair of leafy plants. "My friend is still in trouble. What can you tell me about the rest of your group?"

"More copies of us," she quickly explained, covering her mask with her hand. "I've only known them for maybe a few hours. Gavla led two of us to search for water and - "

"Shadow Toa then. That shouldn't be a problem." Takanuva sprinted toward the sounds of battle.

His legs pounded against the dirt. He ducked under a branch and cut through another. Leaves tickled against his arms and twigs scratched his elbows but he didn't have time to notice. He barely registered the sounds of his double's footsteps behind him. He sliced an oversized fern apart and was met with the sight of Gali swirling her axes around her head. A serpent of water as thick as a tree followed the silver blades. Gavla was trying to pull herself out of a ditch full of quicksand as Gali's water-snake lunged toward another dark warrior wearing a blackened Mask of Light.

As soon as the Shadow Takanuva saw the two Toa of Light appear, he turned and ran as fast as he could.

Gali quickly glanced to Takanuva, then to his copy. "You'll have to tell me how you managed to turn her back later. I'm going after the fleeing Toa. Can you bring this one back to the light as well?"

"Yes," Takanuva said firmly. Now that he had managed it once, he was sure he could convert Shadow Toa as many times as needed.

"We weren't the only ones here," Takanuva's double said, her voice wavering. "He's heading back towards the rest of our squad, and there's no way you'll be able to take them all on."

"I'll have to be quick then," answered Gali. Before she could say another word, she jumped into the air, allowing her armor to transform into flight mode. The jets on her feet whined, and she blasted through the treetops.

* * *

Kopaka wasn't sure whether to be surprised at Ackar's knowledge of Mata Nui. On one hand, it seemed obvious to him that every culture should know of, and serve, Mata Nui. On the other hand, if these beings did not come from inside the giant robot, then what purpose could them knowing Mata Nui serve? There were a hundred possibilities. Perhaps the Mata Nui had created them, perhaps they served him from outside somehow, perhaps they had some tie to the _other_ giant robot in the desert. His head swam with possibilities.

Tahu continued talking to Ackar, drawing in the sand, pointing to their teams while making strange sounds and shapes with their hands.

"Keep an eye on the other warriors," Kopaka whispered to Lewa as Tahu sounded out a word that seemed to mean 'fire'. "They don't seem to like us too much."

"Blue there looks curious about us," said Lewa. "She even sun-smiled at me!"

"But look at Green," said Kopaka, nodding subtly to a warrior who seemed to be trying to use her eyes to cut him to ribbons. "She isn't happy to see us at all." Kopaka looked off into the distance. Even with his Mask of Vision, he couldn't see any other natives nearby. It looked like there was just the half-dozen of them, each wearing green or blue or red.

Tahu and Ackar scribbled in the sand. Both made a small flame from the tips of their weapons, seemingly trying to communicate the idea of fire. Tahu pointed to himself, and Ackar pointed to a red-armored warrior from his own group.

Lewa made an awful grumble. "How much longer do you think this will take? I think Tahu deep-needs a Mask of Translation."

Tahu looked back and shook his head before returning his focus to Ackar.

"You're right," said Kopaka. "We can come back later to find out more about these beings. We've helped these people, but we're wasting time that could be better spent searching for Matoran."

Tahu was growing frustrated as he tried to speak to Ackar, but the two seemed to share a bond. Perhaps because they were both fire types, as well as leaders of their groups. Tahu waved to Kopaka and Lewa, gesturing for them to come closer. "It looks like they have a society similar to our own. At least four village types; Fire, Water, Ice - "

"And air!" Lewa finished.

"'Tree,' according to Ackar's picture," corrected Tahu. "Maybe 'plantlife?' I think Ackar is the only one here who can control fire, and he doesn't seem very used to it. Maybe he's on par with a rookie Toa."

"So, they are just regular villagers?" asked Kopaka. They carried themselves like warriors and each had a personalized weapon, but then the Matoran of Mata Nui had developed militaries in their thousand-year absence of any Toa.

"No, I don't think so," said Tahu. "The taller ones, the 'Glatorian', are their warriors, and the shorter 'Agori' are their villagers. They're a lot like us in that regard."

"Ask them about their home," said Lewa.

Tahu turned back to Ackar and drew a crude picture of huts and beings. "Where is your home?" he asked, pointing to the sign and then far off into the distance. "My home is this way," he said, gesturing to himself, the picture, then to the head of the giant. "Where is your home?" he repeated, jabbing his finger at Ackar and then the picture.

Ackar gestured toward the giant south-east of them - the smaller of the two.

"So they are like us," Lewa asked. "Beings inside a giant robot?"

"Perhaps that is why they know the name 'Mata Nui'," said Kopaka. "It might translate to 'Great Spirit' in their language as well."

Ackar spoke in his strange language with too many consonants, and made a gesture that anyone would understand meant 'follow me'.

"More beings to help," said Tahu, sounding a touch exhausted. "I suppose we should meet them. Get back to the Axalara - let's see if we can follow the Glatorian."

* * *

Now that he knew how, it was a simple matter for Takanuva to use his mask to remove the shadow from Gavla's mind.

"So you take the one thing that gives me purpose from me again," muttered Gavla bitterly.

Takanuva mopped his mask with his hand. "You realize you attacked us, right? You aren't the victim here."

His double cut down a pair of creeper vines to tie Gavla's hands together. Takanuva took her swords and rocket booster and placed them on his back, although he was tempted to try the rocket booster for himself.

The site of the battle was still particularly wet. The earth around the ditch of quicksand was still unstable, and numerous trees had withered from shadow blasts or uprooted completely by Gali's command over water. Takanuva dragged Gavla away to higher land and found a comfortable tree trunk to sit against while they waited. His double remained nearby, regularly glancing at Gavla and checking that she hadn't managed to fray her bonds. In truth, Gavla could likely use her powers to ignite the vines and escape, but then she'd have to face two Toa of Light. She seemed content to sit under their watch, muttering complaints under her breath and shooting half-hearted threatening looks their way every few minutes.

The sun burned overhead, heating up the jungle to uncomfortable levels. The humidity rose to the point that breathing was beginning to feel more like a chore than an impulse. Takanuva found himself looking overhead every few seconds, hoping that Gali would reappear so they could return home. But she didn't.

Takanuva decided to try to pass the time by getting to know his recently-converted friend. "So, when we were fighting - you said you were from another world. Was it like ours?"

"Not at all," she said. "I came from an island that sounds very much like your Mata Nui. We called it 'Okoto'. There were tales that six Toa would come to deliver us from our Makuta, but I never met them. I didn't become a Toa until I came to your world. I didn't even think such things were possible."

"I didn't think it was possible either, until I found the Mask of Light. So then, how were you transformed?"

"I woke up like this. Mask of Light and all. The last thing I remember is a shadow falling over me. I don't know where my Mask came from - your world, or mine."

That presented an interesting possibility. Could there be more than one Mask of Light originating from one world? How was the Mask of Light even created? Was it forged in Metru Nui, crafted by Artahka, or created by some other means?

"Can I ask you a question now?" she asked.

"Of course."

"'Takanuva?' Why would you change your name?" Her voice carried a tone of incredulity to it.

"To honor the rest of the Toa Nuva. Don't you like it?"

"'The New Spirit of Fire?'"

Takanuva straightened his back. "I prefer to think of it as 'The Spirit of Fire, Reborn."

"You're a Toa of Light!"

"But I hail from the Village of Fire!"

"Pretty vain, if you ask me." Her voice carried a light-hearted quality, lacking the sting she spoke with when she was hurling shadows at him earlier.

"So what should I call you?"

She laughed, leaning back against the trunk of a large tree. "'Takua' will do fine."

"That will get confusing quickly. What did Gavla call you?"

"'Hey, you,' mostly," she said.

"No, that's not going to work. No, Naming Day has come early for you!" Takanuva thought about her tale for a moment.

"What's 'Naming Day'?"

"What do you mean, 'What's Naming Day'? Do you not have Naming Day where you come from?"

She shook her head.

"So, how do you get named in the first place?"

"Our parents name us…"

"What's a 'parent'? Oh, never mind that, you need a name now." A thought struck him. "How about 'Okoto'? That's the name of your home, right?"

She stared at the sky for a moment, contemplating the name. "I suppose it will do. So, do I get to call you by a different name as well?"

"But everyone here already knows me as Takanuva, so it would be confusing for them."

"Then why did you change your name in the first place?" she asked, laughing. "Wait, can it be Naming Day for both of us?"

Gavla struggled with her bonds behind her back, loudly sighing. "Don't you two ever shut up?"

Takanuva rolled his eyes. "You're a valuable asset to us. You know what Ahkmou is planning, and where we can find the rest of the Shadow Toa."

"You Toa of Light make me sick," Gavla spat. "Can't you just put me out of my misery now?"

Okoto's eyes brightened. "And you're one of us now. I bet that makes you feel spectacular." She walked over to their prisoner, placing a finger to her chin to force her to make eye contact. "Soon enough, we'll head back to the Toa camp. You can follow us quietly, or we can drag you back." Okoto's finger moved under the Mask of Hunger Gavla wore, delicately tugging on the magnetic seal. "I'm not so sure we can still trust you with this. Would you rather make the trip back with it, or without it?"

Takanuva gave a strained smile, but he was concerned that Okoto was enjoying torturing her prisoner a little too much. If she removed the Mask, Gavla would soon find her energy drained. If they ran into trouble, it might prove difficult to protect a prisoner who struggled to walk. He had heard about the horrors of The Pit, and he hoped that they would never have to create a prison like that again.

The whining of jets alerted Takanuva to Gali's return, and leaves and dirt kicked up around her as she landed.

"You were right," she said quickly, looking towards Okoto. "He managed to shake me. There's an enormous group of Shadow Toa not far north, right by a river. I'm guessing their leader chose to come to the jungle to search for water, much like we did."

Gavla snorted but said nothing.

"We have to leave quickly," Gali continued. "Their entire group will be coming for us shortly. I tried to make it look like I was heading further west, but I doubt that will fool them for long."

Gavla awkwardly pushed herself to her feet. "So, are we going to take the vehicle to your base, or are you going to let the Shadow Toa take me?"

"We won't be able to keep her secure on the Jetrax if she's tied up," said Takanuva.

Gali tilted her head down for a moment. "You three will need to start marching through the desert. I'll take the vehicle and come back with an airship to pick you up."

"Great," said Okoto. "A stroll through the desert sounds fun."

"More fun than being captured by Ahkmou," said Takanuva, walking up to Gavla. "Come on, let's go!"

* * *

Lewa hurried after Tahu as he approached the Axalara. He was growing weary of waiting for Tahu to try and communicate with the Glatorian, and Tahu seemed determined to blunder through even more meaningless picture-drawing with the natives when they reached their home.

"Are we really going to follow Ackar to his village?" asked Kopaka. "It would be best to head back, grab a Mask of Translation, and then return."

Lewa nodded in agreement. "Meeting more Agori will bring hard-luck if we can't speak with them."

Tahu was already climbing onto the Axalara, eager to take off and follow Ackar. "We need to find out what their Great Spirit holds. Maybe they know something about ours that we don't."

The eyepiece on Kopaka's mask shifted as he looked to the caravan of departing Agori, their vehicles speeding away into the distance. "We won't learn much without a Mask of Translation."

"Do we even have one?" asked Tahu.

"Mask-makers come from your city district," said Lewa. "You tell us! If you don't know you'd better ask. Otherwise, you could quick-learn to make one yourself!"

Tahu rolled his eyes.

Lewa pulled himself into the rider's seat of his beloved Axalara, feeling his visor shift to accommodate the heads-up-display of the vehicle. A moment later, he was powering up the engines, listening to the aircraft's sweet whine. "Come Agori will be long-riding. We can grab a few masks and be back before we know it."

"Alright," said Tahu finally. "But I won't let this opportunity slip away."

Lewa revved the engine, speeding into the sky. Moments later, the Axalara was zooming back towards the Great Spirit's head. Lewa basked in the feeling of the wind brushing against his head and the weightlessness that flight allowed. The Axalara was his treasure, and although he could easily achieve flight on his own, the vehicle offered speeds that even the Mask of Speed couldn't match. Its sleek design allowed it to push itself through the air, and with a nudge of wind he could make it bank ever so tightly.

Kopaka's cold voice cut through the sound of air rushing by. "We need to be careful about what we commit to. We don't know these Agori, nor do we know what they want."

"I think we can quick-handle them if a fight breaks out," said Lewa, pulling the Axalara higher so it could clear the shoulder of the Great Spirit.

"They've seen what a Toa Nuva can do now, and we've just left the Matoran here undefended."

"They don't seem like a threat," said Tahu. "Ackar is no different to us."

Kopaka shot Tahu a look. "Did you miss the organic material under his armor? The way his mouth opens when he speaks? Strip away his armor, and you have something more biological than mechanical. Can you be sure he even thinks like us?"

"You can't assume the worst in Ackar just because he's a little different to us," said Lewa. "He's done nothing to threaten us or the Matoran. I don't true-think he will harm us."

"I thought you of all Toa would see the threat of an organic being," Kopaka countered. "I remember what the Bohrok did to Le-Koro. I won't let that happen again."

Flashbacks to their old island home played through Lewa's mind. _Clean it all, it must be cleaned. _The stench of acid burning through wood and plantlife. The screams of Le-Matoran betrayed by their own kind. The feeling of his own mind fading away to the compulsion to _clean_. _Clean it all, clean it all, clean it all._ He shook the echoes of memories from his mind. "The krana long-worked for the Great Spirit too, remember? Maybe Ackar is a part of his giant as well."

"You could be right," said Tahu, interrupting Lewa's thoughts. "Other than their organic nature, they seem similar to us in too many ways for it to simply be coincidence."

"Do we even know that they came from the other robot?" asked Kopaka. "Who's to say it hasn't been here for millennia, only to be pulled apart for shelter by the Agori?"

"No," said Tahu, horror smoldering in his voice. "That can't be true. They wouldn't."

"They could be pulling their own robot apart _right now_. Where else would they get their metal armor from? All I see here is sand, dust, and rocks. No mines anywhere."

"Cut it out," chastised Tahu. "Their armor isn't protodermis, so it probably doesn't come from their Great Spirit. But we will find out soon enough. _With_ a Mask of Translation."

* * *

_Author's Note  
_

_Sorry about the delay in publishing this chapter. I now have a buffer chapter, so hopefully, there won't be such a long delay between chapters again._

_Strictly speaking, there's no canon lore that says that a being turned to Shadow can be healed with the Mask of Light, but the ability to use the Mask of Light to calm intelligent beings down and create understanding is canon. Either way, I think using the Mask of Light to return a being's inner light makes more sense than the deus-ex-machina screams of bat-Rahi that Takanuva used in canon._

_As always, constructive criticism is greatly appreciated._


	4. More Than We Were

**More Than We Were**

Galva slowly trudged through the desert. Up ahead, Takanuva was eagerly powering over a dune. He almost seemed to be enjoying himself, as if he didn't know how much she despised him. She clenched her fists, even though it made the vines tighten around her unarmored wrists. She tried to pull the vines back up over her armor, but the rope only seemed to get tighter. She was certain that if she asked Takanuva he would loosen them, but she refused to give him the satisfaction.

The pain around her wrists wasn't the worst of it. That wretched 'Okoto' had convinced Takanuva that it would be too dangerous to let Gavla keep wearing the Mask of Hunger. At first, Gavla had felt alright, but the energy lost from being maskless meant that she was exhausted before they started moving. Now that they were in the desert, each step became twice as difficult as the last. Sand clawed around her feet and seeped into her joints, crunching sharply with every movement of her legs.

'Okoto' brought up the rear, keeping a sharp eye on Gavla. She was almost as bad as Takanuva himself. When Gavla had first seen the Shadow Toa, she had laughed at how delicious it would be to defeat Takanuva with his own corrupted copy. At least Okoto had the good sense to revel in the misery she was inflicting, even if she tried to hide it from Takanuva.

The body of the Great Spirit lay in the distance, mountaintops peaking over its head. The second sun was beginning to hide behind the horizon to her back, and she met with a harsh wind as they crested the top of a dune. Gavla shivered as the heat of the day disappeared. She'd never had to spend a night in a desert before.

The worst part was that their little group had fallen silent. The never-ending loneliness of light made her chest ache, the quiet reminding her just how isolated she was. Her army of Shadow Takanuvas was still out there, but it seemed a distant hope that they might find her. Every one of them was pathetic, violent, and angry, completely given in to the base urges that the power of shadow provided. She didn't know why she seemed exempt from those qualities. Perhaps her heart had long since grown used to lonely shadow and she had grown acclimated to living with it. Perhaps she was just smarter than Takanuva and his dozens of copies.

Regardless, the Shadow Takanuvas had eagerly joined her and Ahkmou, excited at the prospect of indiscriminate violence to satisfy their own twisted desires. And Gavla had loved those all-too-brief hours of commanding, leading, guiding them toward a future that would propel Ahkmou - and herself - back to ruling over the Matoran.

One more step, and then another. Biting rope at her wrists. Sand grabbing her feet. Lightheadedness took her, left and right seemed to become one.

Ahkmou would come for her. Ahkmou needed her.

Her leg gave out beneath her. She feebly tried to break her fall, but sand scratched against her naked face anyway.

"Get up!" Okoto snarled. "We've got a long way to go and you're slowing us down!"

A hand grabbed the back of Gavla's neck and dragged her to her feet.

Takanuva turned around to face them. "She needs a mask, Okoto. She's just going to keep slowing us down."

"You really want her running around with a Mask of Hunger?"

"No, but I don't want to be dragging her back to camp either."

Okoto let go of Gavla's neck, and it took all of Gavla's willpower to not fall right back into the sand.

"I'm not giving her the mask. Forget it."

Takanuva eyes shone with a brazen smile. "Fine. Give her your mask."

"My mask?" Okoto spluttered.

"The Mask of Light won't give her any more abilities than she already has. You can put the Mask of Hunger on now, and take your mask back when we get to camp."

Gavla felt Okoto shuffle behind her, and the shimmering Mask of Light dropped in the sand before her. Gavla let herself drop to her knees, scrambling to pick it up. Almost before the mask snapped over her face, she felt energy begin to radiate through her body. Her legs still ached, but at least they didn't feel like they would collapse under her weight.

"Are you ready now?" asked Okoto impatiently. "Get moving, before your people catch up."

Without a word, Gavla pulled herself back up, wondering how long she could feign exhaustion.

The trio continued their trek through the desert. Her strength returned to her almost immediately. Grit seemed determined to catch in her ankles and knees, grinding into her joints, but Okoto prodded her into keeping a good pace. As Gavla looked behind her, the jungle seemed smaller in their wake. As of yet, she hadn't spotted any Shadow Toa following them, and there were few places for them to hide in the sandy plains.

Despite that, the giant robot in the distance didn't look any closer. It felt like it might take days before they reached it. Stars began to twinkle in the sky.

After some time, Takanuva fell back into step with her. "Do you miss home?"

She felt her muscles contract, tightening her wrists against the rope despite the pain it caused her. How could he not know? "Not for a moment."

"Not even a little? Karda Nui was a beautiful -" Something impacted in the dirt before him, spraying sand in his face. As he moved to shield his eyes, Gavla felt Okoto push her to the side.

"Ambush!" shouted Okoto, pulling her twin staves from her back.

A dozen more explosions of sand kicked up around them. Takanuva grabbed onto her arm and dragged her, half running and half falling, down the side of a dune. Okoto tackled Gavla to the ground as a rubbery object passed overhead.

Takanuva peered over the dune.

"What is it?" Gavla asked.

"A group of… oh, around thirty mean-looking warriors," Takanuva replied.

Okoto glared at Gavla. "Friends of yours?"

"They don't look like quite any species I've ever seen. Maybe they're native to this world, and they think we're intruding on their territory."

"Aren't we invading their territory?" asked Okoto innocently.

"That's not true, we didn't even know they were here, and it's not like there's a sign saying 'keep off the sand'. We were just passing by!" Takanuva poked his head up once more and waved. "Hey there! We didn't realize this was _your_ patch of desert!" He ducked as another round of projectiles struck against the dune. "Guess they don't want to talk. They have launchers and we don't, and I don't particularly want to risk hurting them with light powers. Options?"

"Can't you just use your powers to blind them or something?" asked Gavla.

"I guess I can try," answered Takanuva. He concentrated, peeked up, and aimed with his lance. The horizon over the dune blazed with light. Takanuva ducked back down, shielding his eyes. "They're too far away, and now they know what we're capable of."

Gavla tried to think of something, but she had barely grown accustomed to shadow powers. Light, in comparison, seemed fairly useless unless you needed a room illuminated or a Makuta vaporized. A series of war cries broke her train of thought.

"They're charging us," said Takanuva, panic beginning to enter his voice. "I can create a shield of light but it won't be enough to protect all of us. Any other bright ideas?"

Gavla glanced at Okoto, but neither said anything.

"We could merge!" Takanuva looked at them with an excited gleam in his eyes. "The three of us, we could form a Kaita!"

"A what now?" asked Okoto.

Gavla wasn't sure she heard correctly. "Even if Toa Kaita weren't just legends, there's no way I'd do that with the likes of _you._ They can rip you limb from limb for all I care."

"Like it or not, they might decide you're just as guilty as we are," said Okoto, turning back to Takanuva. "This sounds crazy. I remember being just a regular villager only yesterday. Since then I've been a legendary warrior of both shadow and light in another world, and you're telling me that three Toa can become one... Mega Toa?"

"I'm sure it will work," answered Takanuva. "With our combined powers we should be able to scare them off. Hopefully."

Okoto grabbed Gavla's hands and cut her bonds, before glancing at Takanuva. "You've done it before?"

"No, but I've seen it done before," he replied.

The cries grew louder, and the sound of a hundred heavy footsteps joined in. They'd be on them in seconds.

"What do we have to do?"

"Just concentrate on what we want to do," said Takanuva. "Focus on unity. Focus on us."

Gavla pulled away and summoned the power of light to her hands. She could take the enemy on by herself if she needed, and she doubted that there was much difference between three Toa of Light and one 'Toa Kaita'. A pair of light beams from her hands melted through the armor of one of the attackers and appeared out the other side. They fell to their knees, the smell of burning metal mixing with cooked flesh.

And they _were _almost all flesh on the inside. Gavla gagged a little, but felt no remorse at killing something so… disgusting. Muscle and lungs, she understood. She looked up into the eyes of another foe as she blasted his chest open, catching sight of blood and bone and organs she didn't even have names for.

Takanuva thrust out his lance and a wall of searing light separated the natives from them, but they were already moving around it. For all her efforts, she'd only taken down two of them, and now dozens of screaming warriors were only moments away.

"We can't take them all separately!" shouted Takanuva urgently. "Unity is the answer!"

Okoto grasped Takanuva's hand, but Gavla still hesitated. She pulled herself to her knees, preparing more light around her hands.

"You were always talking about how connected to the Makuta you felt when you were a Shadow Toa," whined Okoto. "Connect with us now."

She had a point - besides, combining couldn't be a worse situation than the one she was currently in. Gavla's hand shook, but she reached out to her former underling. Okoto grasped it firmly, and Takanuva reached out to complete the circle. She didn't know how this would work, but she tried to focus on unity instead of how touching Takanuva's hand made her want to crush it in her grip.

Nothing happened. She could see Takanuva's light barrier fade, and Gavla tried to focus harder. She pushed angry thoughts out of her mind. There would be time to plan her revenge later. Gavla concentrated on Okoto, on Takanuva, on how the two had teamed up and laughed and joked together merrily. She clenched her fist in fury, deciding to try a different tactic.

She remembered Makuta Vamprah, and how she granted him the ability to see through her eyes. On how she had been a part of the Makuta's plans. On how she might be able to overcome these foes now, if they could only fight as one.

She began to feel queasy, like her muscle was shriveling up but she couldn't quite feel the pain that it should be producing. Without any further warning, she shattered into pieces. Hands and arms swirled around her head in a mass of metal plates and pistons. Almost before she could react she felt herself being put back together, but it wasn't just _her_ parts. White and gold and sapphire armor swirled around and joined together, and as quickly as her flesh had withered away, it grew to fill in the gaps. Pistons formed elbows and gears reconnected in her shoulders. The world seemed a few notches brighter, everything became sharper, clearer. She felt faster, stronger, better, she was radiating elemental power and it was an effort to keep it in.

Most of all, she felt the essences of the three Toa that made her up, like she had been alone her entire life and only just heard the sweet sound of someone speaking, as if she was being held by a living being for the very first time.

She looked down at her foes and prepared her glaive, ready to counter their attack. A handful of them seemed to pause when they saw what she had become, but the majority charged in anyway. She swung out, striking at one puny foe with the flat of the blade. Three more surrounded her, preparing to lunge. She erected a powerful barrier of hard light to stop two of them and struck the third with a beam of light that shattered his weapon. As she stepped forward into the melee, her intricate dance became a whirlwind of movement, dropping her foes with perfect accuracy, yet holding herself back from making lethal blows..

She concentrated on her considerable power, and it burst forward from her. The glare blinded her opponents, and she felled them as they stumbled around. Her bulky hand reached out to grab the one by the neck.

"Who are you, and why have you attacked me?"

But the fleshy alien could only utter a guttural 'skrall'. She looked to the struggling beings, kicking one down as he lunged at her. Focusing on her mask power, she called on its power to generate peace. But she couldn't be sure if these aliens even understood it.

"My name is Jutalin," she said, knowing it to be true. "I mean you no harm. If you leave me in peace, we can go our separate ways."

Although they had attacked her, it was possible she had encroached on their land. A part of her desired to lash out and crush them beneath her feet, but she would not. It would not be just to deliver vengeance on a people who were likely trying to protect their homes. She let the native down gently.

But the alien's feet had barely touched the ground when he scrambled for his wicked blade, swinging it aggressively. Jutalin took the blow on her shoulder, feeling it slice through between the gaps in her armor. She grunted in pain, spinning to kick him away and backpedaling away.

This conflict was going nowhere. A blinding flash of light covered her movement, ensuring her foes wouldn't be able to catch sight of her as she dived behind a boulder. Once the light disappeared, she created a hologram of three Toa fleeing over the dunes. The natives seemed to fall for the bait, for they cried and waved their weapons in the air before chasing the mirages toward the jungle. By the time they discovered the trick, Jutalin would be long gone.

Knowing her power was no longer needed, she willed herself to break apart into her component forms, despite the fact that a part of her desperately wanted to hold on. Just as suddenly as she had come together, she felt her muscles disappear and her armor split off. Moments later, one had become three.

Gavla's arms seemed short and weak, and she was no longer a powerhouse of light energy. The ever-present emptiness inside of her slowly opened up, but it was smaller and less pressing. The lingering warmth of sharing a mind with two others filled her with an inner strength.

Okoto's eyes scoured the sand. "Takanuva, help me find something to tie Gavla up again."

"What?" asked Takanuva. "We've become one, we're united now. Why would we restrain her?"

Gavla doubted that Okoto would have been able to make a decent restraint even if she had been able to find the vines she had cut, but that she managed to show such distrust of her after they had shared a heartlight crushed Gavla's lifted spirits.

"Good to see I've finally earned your trust," grumbled Gavla. "Perhaps you should worry about yourself. Lost little Kewa chick, how will you find your way home?"

"At least I'm not a power-hungry tyrant," snapped Okoto.

"Come on, this isn't helping," said Takanuva. "We've still got a long way to go. Let's get a move on, before it gets dark."

The cold sand bit against her feet, seemingly determined to suck every ounce of warmth from her. The air grew cold quickly as night set in. Gavla held an intense ball of light, finding some solace in the warmth running through her fingers. She wasn't practiced enough to hold it for long. Her elemental power was fading, and she wondered how long it could possibly take Gali to fly to their camp and back. It was a wide desert, and it seemed likely that she had missed them. It would be a long few days if they had to walk all the way to the Great Spirit with no food.

Gavla didn't know how to describe her feelings. These _traitors_ had given her another taste of being something more than herself. It was everything she loved about being taken by shadow and more. She had become a part of something greater, and she desperately wanted to experience that again. It seemed unlikely that Okoto shared her feelings.

The stars in the sky twinkled brightly, but two stars on the horizon shone brighter than most. One seemed to grow even larger, bringing with it a reverberating thrum. Takanuva ran forward, waving his arms and shouting. The light split into two pinpoints that washed over them. The Jetrax sped by and looped around, before its pilot brought the vehicle to a hover. A lumbering airship followed behind, slowly descending as it found a place to land.

"Are you alright?" Gali climbed out of the Jetrax's cockpit. "I see that Gavla is no longer restrained."

"We came to an understanding," said Takanuva.

"You must have a powerful way with words," said Gali. "Last time I saw her she wasn't so friendly."

The airship's forward hatch swung open, Onua and Jaller standing at the entrance. She'd never paid much heed to the leader of the Toa Mahri. Takanuva and the Toa Nuva had been the focus on her wrath for multiple weeks. Jaller had seemed a minor footnote in comparison, and so she didn't know what to expect from him.

"No danger," called Gali to the airship, turning back to Takanuva. "I was worried you might have run into trouble with the Shadow Toa in the desert, so I brought backup." She gently nudged the Jetrax toward the enormous craft.

"Is that why you took so long to find us?" snapped Gavla.

"Good to see you haven't changed despite this 'understanding'," Gali replied with just a hint of levity. "Unfortunately, airships can't keep up with the Jetrax. Had we known you would come peacefully, I could have just had Pohatu follow me on the Rockoh, or the three of you could try and find room on the Jetrax. The airships are the only craft we had on hand with a hold that could contain a prisoner."

Gavla rolled her eyes. "Didn't get lost, then?"

"Don't worry about that. The Jetrax already has both yours and Takanuva's tracking signatures locked in it's scanners."

"Ah, you've already got a tracker on me," answered Gavla. "Good to see where I stand." She could hardly blame them for not trusting her, but it still stung.

"Are you sure we're safe with her?" Onua gently asked Takanuva as they stepped up to the ramp leading into the airship's hull.

"She's fine," answered Takanuva firmly. "You don't need to worry about her."

The hold was filled to the brim with more objects than she could even name. Tools and storage crates and even vehicles, sheets of metal of various types. Obviously, the airships had been used to return to the Great Spirit for extra supplies. She found a corner made up of two containers to sit in, away from the others but still clearly in sight so they wouldn't have cause to complain.

Once they were ready, the other five Toa pulled storage crates out to sit on. The hull of an airship wasn't exactly designed to carry passengers other than the pilots.

"Everyone, this is Okoto," announced Takanuva. "She's a copy of me from another universe."

Jaller nodded. "I heard from Gali. Now I've got two of you to worry about." He turned to Okoto. "Please don't make me follow you into any lava-filled caves."

"Don't worry," Okoto replied. "I've already learned my lesson about lava-filled anything."

"Well, you're already smarter than Takanuva then. So, how are you two dealing with this situation?"

Takanuva shrugged. "It's not like I haven't met other copies of me before. And this one's less annoying than some of them."

"You can say that again," replied Jaller.

Onua had to stifle a chuckle.

It seemed everyone was warming up to Okoto. Gavla tried to sink further into her corner. No matter what had happened between them today, she realized she'd never truly be accepted by the Toa. She'd done far too much to hurt them. Perhaps it would be in her best interest to return to Ahkmou.

"You might be used to alternate universes and Toa and merging and everything else, but this is still a lot for me to take in," said Okoto. "Your entire world is so strange, and just when I think I've gotten used to it something else comes along to turn it upside down."

"Well, you're taking it in stride," said Jaller, his eyes flicking between the two. You really are just another Takanuva. I guess this means you're teammates or something then."

Takanuva's eyes lit up as he smiled. "I guess this means it does." He glanced at Okoto, and then at Gavla. "The three of us. We're a team. Toa Avoka. The Spirits of Light."

* * *

_Author's Note_  
_I'm sure some of you realized, Toa Avoka comes from the Matoran prefix 'Av', meaning 'Light', and the suffix 'ka', meaning 'spirit' (as in 'Phantoka' or 'Mistika' - 'spirits of air' and 'spirits of mist' respectively). I added the 'o' for no real reason other than I thought the word sounded more fitting for a Matoran proper noun with an 'o' breaking it up, and I suppose it could be interpreted as 'of' in this case. This is about the deepest I'm ever going to get with custom Matoran words though - as cool as outofgloom's Matoran language resources are._

_'Jutalin' comes from 'Justice' and 'Paladin'. I thought this fitting since she is the embodiment of light, often associated with righteousness and justice, and also because I felt that a Toa Kaita should embody a virtue, like how Akamai embodies Valor and Wairuha embodies Wisdom. _

_It wasn't until well after I had finished the first draft that I realized that Greg has apparently stated that Kaita can only be formed by three Toa of different elements. Well, Jutalin is a vital part of the story so I couldn't exactly cut her, and I don't always adhere to Word of God statements so long as I otherwise maintain continuity with the canon story itself (pre-divergence, of course). Besides, Matoran and Toa of Light and Shadow seem to break the rules applied to other elements anyway so I figure this alteration is justified, although I will refrain from introducing other mono-element Kaita._

_Unlike other chapters, this one's title is actually a reference to a fanmade song instead of an official Bionicle work. 'More Than We Were' is an excellent song by the Bionicle Fan Music Team on their Tales of the Amaja album. If you like the soundtracks of the Bionicle films and Mata Nui Online Game, I highly recommend giving their work a look._


End file.
